Fifth-wheel.



FIFTH WHEEL. APPLIOATION HLBD xmms. 1,906.

THE Nmmls PETERS cu., wAsHlNaaN, n. c.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE.

` HHH-WHEEL.

Specification .of Letters'Patent.

Patented sepan 1, V1906.

' Application indianen-23,1906. serrure-297.402.

T0 all whom/it may coli/cern: f

Beit known that I, JAMESVHARRIS Boor-H, blacksmith, a subject ofthe'King ofGrrea-ty Britain and Ireland, residingat Great South Road,Jumbunna, in the British State of Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia,have invented a certain new and usefullm roved Turn-Coupling for theForeLOarriage o Vehicles, of which the following is a'specification.This invention relates to an improved turn` coupling for thefore-carriage of vehicles, and which has been designed to be used inplace of the .king-bolt to connect or couple together the fore-carriagewith the front frame in such a manner that the fore-carriage can radiateor move upon the coupling to allow the vehicle to be steered and turned.

My improved turn-coupling is constructed of two metal rings, one fittingneatly within the other, the upper one being secured to thevehicle-frame and the under one to the axle or fore-carriage, and saidcoupling-rings are provided with ears or lugs to allow of their beingsecured in position by clamps, and hence without the aid of screws orrivets. Said coupling-rings are held together'by a peculiar sliding lockbar, which, with the other parts, will be hereinafter fully described,aided by a reference to the attached sheet of drawings, in which- Figurel is a central section on line l 2, Fig. 2; and Fig. 2, a plan of thepreferred form of my invention. Fig. 3 isa part side view looking at theside marked 2. Fig. 4 is a plan of an alternative form of theinvention;and Fig. 5, an edge view of same, both figures being drawn to a smallerscale. Fig. 6 is a section on line 3 4, Fig. 4. p

A is the upper, and B the lower, metal coupling-ring, each made of theangle-section shown and-with the lower ring `fitting neatly and freelywithin the upper ring, while C is the sliding metal lock-bar. The upperring A is constructed with a central round back bar A', which terminatesoutside the ring with the ears or. lu s a', which ears are secured tothe vehic e-frarne bar D by the clamps D and said upper ring has a frontrabbeted lug A2, which is secured by a bolt D2 to a metal reacher-bar D3and to the wood reacher-bar D4; The bottom ring B also has acentralround back bar B formed on it and provided, as in the case of theupper ring, with the outside ears'or lugs, which are secured to thefore-carriage wooden axle-bar E and aXle E' by the clamps E2. Thesliding end cpassing into a hole a, formed 'through afv luga'p'rojecting vdown from lower side of upperiri'ngA,`lwhile the otherend `parte of theflockbaris formed to the channelshap'e shownjits, endbeing' designed to pass into a-y hole'fa.3 in a lug formed on the upperface of ring A, and'said lock-bariis secured'rin'p'ositiorr bythe-pina5. Thelower ring Bfinay be travel of the fore-carriage or front aXlewill be limited.

In the alternative construction of my invention the rings A and B are ofsimilar section to the couplling shown in Fig. 1, and each ring isfurnished with ears or lugs a to allow of the upper one being secured tothe uper reacher and body-frame bars and the ower ring to the front axleor fore-carriage bars by clamps, as before described; but in this casethe lock-bar O is made in two lengths, the ends c2 of each part beingconstructed of the shape shown to grip or hold the two rings together,while at their center the said two parts telescope one anotherthat is tosay, the plainor straight end part c3 of the oner passes into a sleevec4, formed on the other-and when said baris in position to grip and holdthe two rings together it is locked by thepin c5. One end c? of thelock-bar engages with the hole formed inthe lug 7, while the other endlies between the jaws S' 8 ofthe other side of the upper ring. Thisconstruction of the turn-coupling is not limited in its radial travel,and it is' designed, mainly, for lorries, carriages, or other vehicleshaving anEnglish fore-carriage.

My said turn-coupling may be constructed of any suitable metal--such asgun-metal, steel, malleable iron, or the like-and, as will be obvious,king-bolts are dis ensed with. Further the couplings are easi y securedin position, and when so secured they assist in strengthening thevehicle. Again, when once the coupling is greased the latter cannoteasily fall or run out, as the wearing parts of the coupling-rings arepractically dust and Water proof.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A turn-coupling for the purpose specified, consisting of two rings,one fitting and working within the other and held together lock-bar Ois'fof the form-shown, having one' IOO IIO

by a sliding lock-bar, each coupling-ring be-l ing provided with ears orlugs whereby the Y" upper one-may be secured vto the vehiclefrarne, andthe lower one to the fore-carriage or front axle-bar substantially asdescribed andshpown. n

2. A turn-coupling for the purpose s ecified, consisting of twocoupling-rings o an-4 guiar section constructed to fit one Withinclamped or otherwise secured in position l substantially as describedand shown. A

3. A turn-coupling for the purpose lspecified consisting of two angularsection-rings designed to it and rotate orwork one within the other andeach provided with ears or lugs by which they are secured in positioncombined with a two-part sliding lock-bar having a telescopic joint atits center and with end jaws to grip the two rings and take into a holedlug at one side-and lie between jaws at the other side of the upper ringsubstantially tas described andshown.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set ymy hand in presence'of twosubscribing witnesses. e

JAMES HARRIS BOOTH.

Witnesses:

BEDLINGTON- BoDYooMB, W. J. S. THoMPsoN.

